The Bottom Line

Across our professional careers, many of us will come into contact with a difficult colleague or hard-to-please superior. But what happens when difficult behaviour crosses over into bullying at work? What effect does this have, not only on our wellbeing, but on our workplace as a whole?
Evidence suggests that bullying may be on the rise in the UK. A 2025 survey of British workers conducted by ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) found that 44% of respondents had experienced conflict at work in the last 12 months. And on the global stage, the resurgence of ‘strong man’ leadership has reignited a debate: does bullying behaviour get you what you want?
Evan and the panel look at what workplace bullying is, when and why bullying can occur, and the steps individuals and organisations can take to tackle this behaviour in the workplace.
Guests:
Jason Warner, Managing Director (UK and EMEA) at SBS
Kevin Rowan, Director of Dispute Resolution at ACAS
Kara Ng, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester
Production team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound engineers: James Beard and Neil Churchill
Editor: Matt Willis
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

The UK’s private rental market has grown dramatically over recent decades, creating what often feels like a tale of two nations: ‘Generation Rent’ who are priced out of home ownership and unable to access social housing; and buy-to-let investors who view property as a reliable income stream or pension plan.
Rising rents, poor conditions and fierce competition for homes have fuelled frustration with landlords, prompting political efforts to strengthen protections for tenants and increase tax pressure on property owners.
Now the sector is facing a turning point – with large institutional investors, backed by pension funds, for example, playing an increasing role. Evan Davis and guests discuss the state of the UK rental market and where it might be heading.
Guests:
Ashley Winston, Director of Palmdale Car Finders
Andy Graham, Host, HMO Podcast
Polly Simpson, Head of multi-family development at Savills
Production team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Producer: Sally Abrahams
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Tim Heffer
Editor: Matt Willis
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

Everyone wants to get the best price they can when they buy, whether that’s a product, a service or an experience. But the ‘best price’ can look different for different people, and at different times.
Surge pricing, tiered prices, off-peak discounts, time-of-use pricing- technology has enabled more industries to employ dynamic pricing to get the best prices for their products by altering them depending on a range of sophisticated considerations.
But this has made pricing less predictable and left customers feeling like the prices are often stacked against them; most notably after the Oasis reunion tour ticket sales in 2024.
Is dynamic pricing really as bad as we all think? Evan and guests look at the psychology behind consumer perceptions of dynamic pricing, and ask how different industries can utilise the pricing model to benefit themselves and their customers.
Guests:
Richard Howle, founder of RH Insights
Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy for Business
Marco Bertini, Professor of Marketing at Esade Business School
Production team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound engineers: Daniel Fox and Steve Greenwood
Editor: Matt Willis
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

From headline deals like Vodafone-Three or home builder, Barratt buying rival, Redrow, corporate mergers and takeovers are on the rise. Evan Davis and guests take a fresh look at what happens when companies combine. They discuss why deal-making is growing, why execs turn to M&A, what can go wrong and whether mergers deliver growth or simply disguise deeper problems.
Guests:
Vittorio Colao, CEO at Vodafone Group 2008-2018, and now Vice Chairman, EMEA, General Atlantic
Pip Hulbert, CCO for International Markets at VML
Farshid Azadegan, Director of BEC Distribution
Production team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Producer: Sally Abrahams
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound engineers: Russell Newlove and Andy Garratt
Editor: Matt Willis
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

In the years after the COVID pandemic we are travelling more and expecting more from our journeys. Travel is increasingly viewed as an end-to-end experience that begins before you even set foot on board your flight. As people look to inject luxury into their travel, airport lounge usage has boomed.
But lounges’ rise in popularity has created a unique problem for their operators: how do you grow your customer base whilst maintaining a degree of exclusivity?
Evan Davis speaks to industry operators and experts about balancing the scales.
Guests:
Mignon Buckingham, CEO of Airport Dimensions
Claude Roussel, VP of Sky Clubs and Lounge Experience at Delta Airlines
Nicky Kelvin, Senior Director of Content at The Points Guy
Production team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound engineers: Dave O’Neill and Tim Heffer
Editor: Matt Willis
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University